Angela Alden, of Oakville, has spent her entire life learning about astrology and its subgenre, numerology.

“For me, it started way back when I was born. My grandmother, who was from Italy, came here for my birth, and my mother actually wanted to name me something different, but my grandmother said, ‘No, she’s the one we have been waiting for. She is the messenger. Her name needs to be Angela.’ Since Angela means the messenger,” Alden said.

Alden recently connected with the owners of New Insights Boutique in Sandy Hook and will be visiting the store on Saturday, July 31, from 11 am to 5 pm, for people to stop by and speak with her.

“It’s the most positive, wonderful place,” she said of the boutique. “I love that shop, it’s so beautiful.”

As a child, instead of being told fairy tales like most children, Alden said, she was raised on tales of the gods. Beginning when she was 8 years old and until she was 15, she visited the library frequently to check out books on astrology, numerology, symbolism, and different modalities of the Egyptians and Samaritans.

At 15, she began ghost hunting in abandoned homes, and at around age 25, she met astrologer Dee Randis of the Watertown Metaphysical Center who took her under their wing.

When the center closed, Alden did readings from her home for years, and later joined the Connecticut Soul Seekers of Naugatuck as a paranormal investigator.

Today, that unique journey has led her to operate Angela Marie Astrology, Numerology, and Tarot, where she offers her expertise to people looking for answers. She travels to shops throughout Connecticut and does readings seven days a week.

While Alden looks forward to speaking with individuals for personalized readings when she comes to New Insights Boutique, she offered a crash course in Numerology 101, per se, for Newtown Bee readers to learn the basics.

Read on to see how Alden says something as simple as a number can hold profound meaning for a person’s life mission.

What Is Numerology?

“For me personally, numerology is a language that goes along with astrology,” Alden explained. “I take the number of the day that you were born and work with the karmic lesson that comes along with that number.”

She continued, “I use that in my readings to help and guide people to see where their struggles are, what they need to work on, and what they need to move away from. To me, numbers are on a spectrum, and you are either functioning on the high end of that number or the low end of that number.”

The concept of numerology has been around in some capacity for ages.

“The fabric of the universe is made up of mathematics, so you really can’t have divination without some type of numbers and mathematics. It’s just the way that it works, especially in my world of astrology and numerology. Even in symbolism, you can’t get away from it,” Alden said.

Numbers One Through Nine

To find out what number applies to you, she said add up the numbers of the day you were born.

“If you were born on the first of the month, the 10th, the 19th, or the 28th that would be a representation of the number one,” Alden said. “So the way it works is one is one; one plus zero is one; one plus nine is ten, and one plus zero is one; [and two plus eight is ten, and one plus zero is one]. The number breaks down.”

The number one is represented by Adam in the Bible, according to Alden.

She also correlates numbers with cards from the Rider-Waite tarot deck and says that one is symbolized by the magician card.

Since it can be a “trickster number,” Alden says she thinks of the charismatic character Loki from the Marvel Universe as an example of that attribute.

“Also, number ones are entertainers on some level. They are singular-minded, they are motivated, they are independent, but they can also be motivating to others, as well, not only themselves,” she said. “And it’s an action number, so it leads you into action.”

Alden notes that the birth date number does not exactly describe a person’s personality, but a piece of their karma. She describes karma as the skills the person has to learn and what they have to overcome to obtain the skill.

In the case of someone who is a number one, their main challenge is the inability to focus.

“The biggest thing about the focus, though, is that when you are really into the number one, you are grounded in this reality… What happens, though, with that number is you stay really focused on that stuff because it’s pulling you away from your spirituality. It actually makes you depressed and anxious, and you can’t figure out why you feel that way, because you are not really going in the direction you need to be,” Alden said.

Another challenge for number ones is dealing with miscommunication and understanding other people’s perspectives.

“So how do you overcome that? It’s literally realizing where your passion is, where your intellect is, and that you are a leader. The progression of that number actually happens out of the anger, and you realize you don’t have to control everyone around you. It’s when your true passion comes out. It’s redirecting anger into passion,” Alden said.

Number twos are people born on the second, 20th, or 29th of the month. Two is represented by the high priestess in the Rider-Waite tarot deck.

Alden describes them as having “the gift of precognition, where they can see what is coming and then they tell people, but no one will listen to them. It falls about deaf ears.”

The biggest lesson they must learn is how to value and balance themselves out in life. Alden notes that number twos do not know how to make boundaries and can have difficult times in toxic relationships by giving too much of themselves. As a result, she says, she meets a lot of the number twos who chronically feel sick and have thyroid, endocrine, or lower digestion issues, or a type of disordered eating.

“The thing about number twos is that as they move through life and they actually gain that wisdom, they are actually the keepers of the planet earth. Number two is the representation of Gaia, of earth, so it’s wonderful to watch them go through life. They go through some of the hardest lessons that I’ve ever seen, because they have to learn how to balance themselves, not everyone else,” Alden concluded.

Number threes are people born on the third, 12th, 21st, and 30th of the month. Three is a representation of the creation and the Holy Trinity.

Alden says three is the most powerful number in the universe, and threes are natural healers.

“Everything comes easy for a number three, and it is supposed to in this life, because they emanate that healing love energy that comes off of them,” she said.

They also have a childlike energy inside them that makes them very fun and vivacious.

Three is a communication number and represented by the empress in the tarot deck.

Ultimately, Alden explains, the lesson they must learn can be summarized with the Winston Churchill quote, “The price of greatness is responsibility.”

Number threes feel a lot of pressure and wind up selflessly giving until they have nothing left. They must learn to serve their heart.

Number fours are people born on the fourth,13th, and 31st of the month. Four is represented by the emperor in the tarot deck and is a practical number.

“I always describe the number four as the table. It’s got four legs, it’s very sturdy, it’s useful. It’s something everybody needs and because of its stability, it gets a lot of burden put on them,” Alden said. “It’s also a number people put a lot of expectation on, because they know that you can handle it. It’s a person that knows how to follow through.”

The karmic obstacle comes from trying to help everyone else and not feeling authority over your own life. The feeling can lead fours to feel unmotivated if not functioning properly

“It’s also one of those numbers that when it reaches that complacency, they want to be directed. They want to be told what to do, but when the number four is functioning properly, I call it dad energy — whether you are a man or a woman — it’s the dad you can go to for advice because you know they will listen and even it is something you don’t want to hear they are going to give you the right advice,” Alden said.

Number fives are born on the 5th, 14th, and 23rd of the month. Fives are represented by the hierophant (a ruler over the land) in the tarot deck.

“When I say four is like a table, I say number fives are like the extra leg you don’t need. They come in and try to make something more stable, but they are really just adding to it,” Alden said.

Fives make their own rules and are known for being opinionated and the loudest in the room.

“I love number fives because they are always off the beaten path and have chaos in the brain… It’s just how their brain functions,” Alden said.

Since five is also a very psychic number, she finds if they quiet their minds and focus, they make the best mediums and astrologers.

Number sixes are born on the 6th, 15th, and 24th of the month. Six is represented by the lovers in the tarot deck. It is a nurturing number and seen as the number of Mother Earth.

“The biggest thing that a number six wants is connection with other people. The number six is always looking to gain from someone else, though, so the biggest challenge with them is, ‘How do I be alone?’” Alden said.

She describes them as serial daters who feel they need someone to be whole, but they must overcome that by working on themselves to be okay with who they are.

“When they do the work on the inside to make themselves stronger and whole, they get the pick of the litter in the world. They get who they want to marry, they get the friend groups that they want, and they get nourished because they actually made themselves whole,” Alden said.

Number sevens are born on the 7th, 16th, and 25th of the month. Seven is represented by the chariot card, which, while chaotic, can also fight for what is right. Sevens are also a representation of “Christlike energy,” with healing properties.

“If you think about what he was surrounded by politically and all the chaos that surrounded him, sevens are very much like that. I always say they walk on water, too. Sevens literally come out of any situation — no matter how chaotic — and land on their feet. It’s a very, very mystical number and very intuitive number,” Alden said.

Ultimately, sevens experience pain, because they soak in everyone else’s suffering, and when they speak their truth it can be misunderstood.

“Kind of like if you think about Jesus and how he was crucified and died for our sins, he was soaking in everyone’s pain for the greater good — that’s how I would describe that number,” Alden said.

Number eights are born on the 8th, 17th, and 26th of the month. Eight’s tarot card is strength, because of its ability to overcome obstacles and restrictions in reality.

“It’s not an easy road to be a number eight, especially when you are younger. I say about number eights that these are my kids that ate alone at the lunch table. That no one got them. They felt very isolated and alone,” Alden said. “As you meet people through your life you collect people, and you carry them up the mountain with you and they help you build it. You build your self-esteem, your trust, your confidence, all these things all at once.”

She finds that while they can be seen as having materialistic goals, number eights lead the most successful lives. Since eight is a great manifestation number, she says they “live in the magic.”

Alden explained, “I always say people are intimidated by people who are the number eight, even if the number eight doesn’t realize it. The number eight might feel intimidated themselves, but it’s really there’s something about them that people can’t put their finger on. It’s that magic.”

Overall, while number eight is a beautiful number, it is also a hard number.

“It is a number of pain, but it’s really important to understand that even though you can’t see the future and when you’re a number eight you feel like you’re losing hope, faith is the biggest thing here. Keeping in whatever is your faith and propels you forward will always cradle you with this number. It will always get you to where you’re going.” Alden said.

Number nines are born on the 9th, 18th, and 27th of the month. Nine is represented as the hermit in the tarot deck, which shows a person in a cave holding a lantern.

According to Alden, this is so because, “The biggest job of a number nine is to bring people from one place to another. They are ushers metaphorically showing you to your seat. Number nines always get flooded with people in their lives, but they are never meant to stay. No one feels more abandoned on the planet than number nines.”

As a nine herself, Alden understands the importance of asking fellow nines how they are doing, because she knows how they constantly are taking care of others without reciprocation.

Ultimately, she says that nines need to work on keeping a positive thought process and find their passion in life.

“They’ve lived every lifetime; they’ve had every experience that all the numbers have ever had. And the truth is, number nines really have to focus on that one thing that you want to do… [because] number nines are all leaving to go home, wherever you believe home to be,” Alden said.

Master Numbers

The numbers 11, 22, and 33 are considered master numbers and different from the reduced numbers, because they do not carry a karmic lesson.

Alden describes the number 11 as being the most intuitive of all the numbers and it represents vision.

“Many number elevens have psychic abilities,” she noted. “If you reduce it down to a number two, you’re not using that gift, and what will happen is, instead of having ambition towards helping people, it’ll actually make you very selfish.”

The number 22 is known as a master builder. They have the ability to analyze 11’s vision and build it logically.

“If you don’t function within that 22, then you are not going to have authority of what you want to build. You are actually going to want to create a vision and someone is going to do it for you. It also brings laziness in. It is very important to realize that you are that action in that vision,” Alden said.

The number 33 is possible only when adding up numbers in your birth month, day, and year. Thirty-three is considered the master teacher and holds a lot of responsibility. While 11 visualizes and 22 turns it into action, 33 takes that and teaches it.

“They build together, those three master numbers,” Alden said. “The biggest challenge of that 33 is that if you reduce it down to a six, it would be someone trying to tell you how to teach that vision instead of you teaching from your intuition.”

Angel Numbers

Angel numbers differ from the reduced numbers and the master numbers. These numbers can be seen in a person’s daily life — whether it is on a license plate or the time on the clock — and are a personal message from a higher power to an individual.

When there is a 111, Alden says, the message is to be cautious of your thoughts and focus on positive things to manifest.

“What you are thinking of in that moment, whether it is positive or negative, is what you are going to draw to you. So, when you see that 111, it’s literally your angels and your guides saying check yourself about what you are thinking about right now,” she said.

When people see 222, it is a sign to stop being fearful.

“Everything is going to be okay, and everything is about to line up for you for the highest good — that is the number 222,” Alden said.

Seeing 333 means ascended masters and angels are working with the person in that moment.

“They are working with you and surrounding you with love and light and guiding you along… it’s a very high vibrational number,” Alden said.

The number 444 is a sign that a person is surrounded by guardian angels.

“It’s protection, guidance, and it’s to help you with anything you need help within that moment. You see that number and you have to know that they are with you, and you are not alone,” Alden relayed.

Upon seeing 555, know that a major life change is on its way.

Alden explained, “It’s time to break out. It’s like a butterfly coming out of its chrysalis... It’s time for you to get out there.”

While many are wary of the number 666 because of the negative stigma around it, Alden finds it to be more representative of a wakeup call.

“I don’t see 666 as a bad thing, because if you actually look at the meaning of it when you are receiving a message from the universe or the angels or whatever you want to call it, all that means is that it is time to align yourself back up to what you consider God, source, whatever you call it,” Alden said. “The fears or issues that you have currently, it says give them up over to the universe… spend time with yourself and meditate more. Align back with your truth and your higher self.”

Meanwhile, the number 777 has garnered a positive reputation for being seen as lucky.

Alden says that for angel numbers it is seen as a congratulatory number. It is a sign that you are listening to your higher self and on the right path.

As for the number 888, it is all about the idea of abundance, whether it is in the form of money or time.

“It’s about focusing on that abundance in your life,” Alden said. “It’s a huge time for claiming abundance.”

Lastly, the number 999 is about being a lightworker and needing to get to work. She describes it as, the world needs “your divine input,” and you need to “wake up humanity.”

Overall, when it comes to angel numbers, Alden said, “When you see those numbers, you don’t necessarily need a reader to translate that for you. It’s personal messages to you. It’s the universe working with you alone.”

To learn more about numerology or to book a session with Angela Alden, visit starsister.net, e-mail starsister83@gmail.com, or call 203-768-8965.

Reporter Alissa Silber can be reached at alissa@thebee.com.